For God So Loved

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. Thank you. [00:00:41] That was very precious to hear that singing. Thank you to everyone who came tonight. I think some of you have travelled far, but I am very, very honoured and blessed for that. And thank you from my heart. I would just like to also thank particularly Jim and Linda Bon Traeger I hope that's right, forgive me if it's not and [00:01:12] Enos and Liz Horstetler and Dwayne and Verba Cross where I'm staying in their beautiful home that they've built so lovingly for their children, their family and I'm very grateful to have had that privilege. It was their son Jamison leading the meeting tonight, the eldest boy. It was a great joy to be in their home and I thank each one of these three men and their families [00:01:46] for their goodness and kindness in allowing me to come back to this part of God's vineyard. And I thank this particular assembly for their kindness in allowing the venue and supporting and being part of the whole thing. I am very grateful. God bless you. And I also would like to just thank those of you that have put your name down for our newsletter that my wife sends out to many thousands of homes across the world who pray for us. [00:02:19] I'm going to put just these copies down here in case you would like to pray for us and we would be honored to send in the post for you to know just what to pray for. I'm on a 10 week tour of America which I've done 32 times now, which I bless God for and have met many godly of all persuasions, of all cultures, but I do bless God united in one thing They wash in the blood of Christ and love God's word [00:02:50] And in this particular tour I've been to Wyoming, Cyan, and Columbia Falls, Montana, that's up in Kalispell And then Texas, Dallas, and then I was in Missouri with my wife who addressed the ladies And then my son was there, Roy Then Wisconsin, Rhinelander, Arkansas, a place called Fayetteville Then Indiana, Indianapolis, Sermon Index, Revival Conference where there were other speakers also [00:03:26] Then Fulton in South Dakota And now Rosewood Fellowship Is that the name of this building, is that right? The Fellowship here, that's lovely Why Rosewood? That means there's Rosewoods out there. I hope. Anyway, Rosewood Fellowship, Sipsawana, Indiana, and then I'm going from this tomorrow to a place called New Holland in South Carolina. in Tampa and Florida, Kansas City, Kansas City, and Salisbury, North Carolina, [00:04:04] Duncan and Pennsylvania, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Moscow, Scranton, Pennsylvania. So that is it. And I do bless God for this lovely tour that God has allowed me to come on across America for the 32nd time now in your lovely land. And then I arrived back in my country, the southern tip of Africa, to preach to missionaries from all over southern Africa when I arrived home. [00:04:35] And then the public, Christians from many denominations and movements and cultures who have come along to a convention up to Christmas, which we have annually, and they've asked me to speak there at this very large and revered conference in Africa by the godly conservatives of our land. Please pray for me and if you'd like to take a copy, I believe, is it Jim or Enos, somebody has had photocopies made of the newsletter for you to take [00:05:08] so that you can just pray, knowing each place. There they are. Oh, wonderfully done. Even color. The other photocopies. How do you do colour photocopies? How is that possible? Oh no, no, it's black and white. There you are. You're normal. And there you are. I'll keep the colour one. Just for remembrance of this particular newsletter. But please take a copy because although it's not printed and with the colour highlighting, [00:05:40] you will be able to pray and identify with these meetings. If you would, I'd be deeply honoured. And if you would like to receive it on a permanent basis every second month by my wife sending it and they of course do it here printing on this continent and send it across from Missouri. Dear godly people there that I am so grateful for. Now, can we bow for a moment of prayer, please? Our Father, we bless Thee, we praise Thee, we love Thee, we adore Thee [00:06:13] for the wonder of God taking six billion people and singling out men whose heart wanted God and communing with them, saving their souls, revealing to them the way of salvation, that we are part of that of six billion, a very small part who have the privilege of having been born in a circumstance and heard the gospel of Christ. We bless thee though we cannot comprehend [00:06:44] why God would be so gracious and merciful that we could have found the Savior. And so, Lord, this night we humbly bow before thee in worship and adoration thanking thee above all things for Jesus Christ our Savior and asking Thee that tonight in Thy mercy upon all of us He may be glorified and adored by each one of us. Come protect us from Satan, his demons and any evil, Lord, and by the Holy Spirit [00:07:18] brood upon us as a gathering in Jesus the Christ's name and for His glory. Amen. For God so loved the world, that's a staggering statement, that he gave, that's even more staggering, [00:07:54] what that word fully implies is beyond all human comprehension but he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish I wish I had the time to be able to just quote you verses throughout this whole Bible [00:08:33] of what that word means, should not perish. What God says they will be without Christ for eternity. that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life not everlasting damnation and destruction with the smoke of their torment to send us up forever and ever the soul will never die [00:09:04] and there's only one of two places it will find itself after death it is the point that unto men wants to die but after this the judgment Whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life, God's word says. I have an elder brother, he's three years older than me, and he was a missionary with his wife in one of the African countries, more internally than my country of South Africa. [00:09:42] for a good while. He came off the mission field for a few days rest before they went back in the rural areas of this African country and they were having fellowship in one of the more affluent homes of a Christian in that particular capital of the country. they were on the lawn with the gardens sitting having fellowship with tea and refreshments [00:10:22] and just talking intensely about the dear Lord Jesus talking intensely about the desperate need of the gospel in that particular country in the state of the country talking about the things of God so intensely with people like mine that all taken up with one thing, God's glory, God's kingdom and the extension of it. And as they were in intense conversation, my brother turned his face just for a moment and looked at a swimming pool that was in this beautiful garden, [00:10:58] a private swimming pool belonging to these people who own this lovely property. And as he looked at the swimming pool just for a glance, he saw the body. of his only little boy, their only child, their only son, hardly able to walk, but they hadn't been concentrating. They were so intense, somehow they neglected to concentrate, and this little child of his had fallen into this pool, [00:11:34] and they didn't even know it, and there was this body, just floating. lifeless, floating he said he for some reason it didn't register he still can't in any way comprehend how it didn't register though he saw and he turned his face having seen the body of his little boy floating in the center of that pool [00:12:07] face down He turned his face away and looked again at the people he was talking on and carried on speaking I don't know how long before suddenly it registered and he stood up in the horror and the fear and the torment that riddled its way through every emotion [00:12:38] As he stood and looked at this body now just disappearing Under the waters, down, way below, now just sunk He screamed, Oh God And he retrieved this body Today he did everything And when there was no hope And he picked up the body of this lifeless child, his only child, and on his knees he began to scream, I don't know what you would do, brother. [00:13:19] He just shouted, sobbing, oh please God, please God, don't do this to me. Everyone was on their knees, all the company was on their knees weeping, crying out to God have mercy And suddenly this boy started coughing Now in all honesty he had passed a stage where he could have, so we regard it as a miracle [00:13:50] They laid the boy down and started trying to do everything to get him going now and oh, the water that has poured out of this child, on and on But he was saved And my brother lifted this boy up again but all the fear, all the horror, all the pain, the torment of every emotion, of every faculty of his mind was gone and a peace and a joy and a gratitude that he had never known in his life for anything in his entire life [00:14:29] as that moment and experienced welled up in him as he held this child and on his knees holding this child he began to still sobbing but not with grief now with such gratitude as he had never expressed in his life to anybody He began to thank God and everybody on their knees all around Just saying thank you, oh God thank you Oh my God thank you for sparing me, oh God thank you [00:15:04] But he said as he was saying thank you to God over and over again In a way he had never expressed such appreciation and gratitude for God's mercy in his life, from his soul. He said suddenly a verse from the Holy Writ began to echo in his mind, a verse he had preached many times to individuals and to many multitudes as a young missionary. [00:15:35] Suddenly this verse began to echo in his heart in a way that he had never ever, ever so appreciated It was this simple verse, everyone knows, but no one weeps over No one falls on their knees and worships God with tears In a way they've never, this verse, as he held his child, spared from death, spared of the sorrows of a father, this verse just came for God, so loved the world that he gave, he gave, he gave his only begotten son [00:16:27] He looked, don't doubt it, he saw him dying and turned his face and let him die. Oh my brother said the worship began to well up in his heart not so much for his son as for God's son. As for God the Father, loving him and mankind so much, he let him die. [00:17:09] He could have saved him, but he turned his face and let him die. I was reading a newspaper a few years ago in my country. I don't have a television. I've never had one. I don't even have a radio, there's no time for that, but the only way I can have news so that I'm not ignorant if the third world war breaks out and don't know I'm the only one left on earth, you see, I read the newspaper, I rather hate a newspaper, I think it's actually a total waste of time [00:17:49] But, I've always said to the Lord through the years, Lord, I can't not know if there's an earthquake in China where 280 million, no, 280,000 people were dead And a few million living in devastation, homes washed away I can't not know that that happened and somebody points it out I can't not know the things that I have to know to pray for those people [00:18:23] to pray for those countries to pray for individuals in my own land who face things so God, I read this asking thy protection that I don't become defiled because I think most newspapers I wouldn't be surprised that Satan himself is the editor with the rubbish you get in them they're not God's people giving us these newspapers don't doubt that and you can be defiled if you're not [00:18:54] very very careful but I read the headlines and I ask God to spare me from ever being gripped to read the small writing never read the small writing it wastes the strength that I need to keep for this And I just have enough strength, if I have to be honest, to meditate this so that I can walk with God. Oh, I cannot walk with God if I waste my strength and my time with all the small writing of a godless paper. [00:19:33] But the headlines, I say, Lord, if there's something I need to know and pray for, just let it somehow come to my attention of all the headlines. Sometimes I'm through the newspaper in one minute, throw it away. Sometimes in two minutes, that's normal, and then you just throw it away. What on earth do you want to waste your strength and your time with the small lines that mean nothing to you, can do nothing for you, and five minutes later you'll forget anyway. Well, I was in this restaurant one day in my country [00:20:08] and I saw this headline of a man who came to my city which is called Cape Town Cape Town has been voted by millions and millions of tourists across the world as the most beautiful city in the world outvoted these other cities that have been known for their beauty that draw the masses of tourists. But Cape Town is remarkably beautiful. It is where the Indian, the Atlantic Ocean comes aside, [00:20:38] the Indian, and you have a 50-mile peninsula in which I live, the very tip of that peninsula, that as you go along, you can look that side, you see the Atlantic, you look this side, you see the Indian Ocean. Two oceans meet at the tip of Africa, this big boot, and we're riding the toe of the boot, called Africa, as a continent. And there is beauty that's uncomprehendable. and I said to the Lord if I have to live in the city, please God let it be Cape Town, I don't want a concrete jungle and the Lord put us there and I'm so very grateful because I had no choice as a missionary, I had to go where we are told to go [00:21:14] well in Cape Town this man went to where I would have gone had I been a tourist and I went anyway Numbers of times to the beauty of the mountains that there's no way of telling you how beautiful these mountains are that just go into the sea and write the ruggedness through all these oceans, the terrible storms, the beauty of the coves and about three times the height of the ceiling you get these long rock formations that go out at least a mile into the sea [00:21:49] and then it's a little way, there's another lot, like little mountains going out, you know, beautiful and many people like to go on and so do I, take my children walking out on this long formation into the sea as far as you can get while the tide is down and you see the whales, almost every time you go you just see these massive whales just rising up looking at you with one eye, shooting water up, you know they spawn all along the areas of the Cape of Africa, in these coves, these beach coves Now, this man had gone out on these rocks at probably the same place as I went [00:22:25] There's so many thousands of them around the peninsula of the Cape that you can choose, but there's easier accessible than others and he didn't see something He didn't see the signboards that are everywhere as you leave your vehicles or venture down onto the beaches and then onto the rocks to go out and see this beauty, look around into the sea You see the mountains everywhere, just surrounding these beautiful bays But he didn't see the signboards [00:22:56] And if he had, he probably thought it was about sharks, not swimming Because of the shark problem from the Indian Ocean being so close, the warm currents Not to swim So he ventured out and he didn't realize what was on those boards That the tides of the Cape are not like the rest of the world Because of the two oceans meeting at that city They don't come a few feet, you know The next wave comes up a bit higher and then you wait And it steadily just pushes its way up to high tide [00:23:28] There's no such a thing These tides change within seconds You have no warning And especially in spring tides The swells are like mountains That are suddenly from what is almost glass It's so calm at times, young boys go out in the sea, beautiful seas, even the colors are unique in the world, the green and then just around there a blue, you can see the fishes way down, it's so perfectly beautiful But that calmness suddenly is risen by a swell, as the two oceans that literally just come like a mountain and will cover these rocks two or three times the height of this [00:24:09] and if you're a mile out and have no chance of getting back of course when suddenly the swell just comes many hundreds have died many in that peninsula, the mountains, all the time tourists who don't read the signs of the strong winds even though there's no wind that just throws them off the mountain oh hundreds and hundreds and hundreds have died in my lifetime in this rugged part of the world called the Cape of Storms the Cape of Good Hope The fairest cape in all the world, but the cape of storms [00:24:42] Now this man was out there with his child Oblivious to what could happen and enjoying with his little boy And suddenly he said, this swell just appeared and he saw this mountain rising of water And it came with such ferocity that they could do nothing I think he just began to scream and cry out to his son who was at first ripped away from him and they were smashed, just thrown, smashing against rocks and smashing his throne down [00:25:17] eventually he got his son and he thought there might be a little mercy but no, the swell just rose up higher within seconds coming against him again and he held on his body to one rock formation and held his child as the swell strength just came ripping, ripping, pulling and he said, Daddy, Daddy, don't let me go. He said his body ripped apart. Wouldn't you do that for your child before you let him go? [00:25:53] What father wouldn't? And in this agony, holding on, he said the swell was so merciless it just rose as his son was holding on desperately, crying, screaming, Don't let me, don't let me go, don't. Hold on to me. He said his son was just torn from his hand at the strength of this swell. [00:26:25] He couldn't believe it as the swell suddenly reversed. He said within seconds. He couldn't believe the strength of the backwash. It didn't take minutes, within seconds his son was... They never found the body. Now when I read this headline in the small writings, my heart just broke. [00:27:05] and I began to pray for him asking God's mercy and compassion and comfort and then I said to the Lord I wonder if I won't turn out that I know this person like so often when I see things in the paper the next minute the person is right there in front of me brought to pray whatever calamity or crisis or tragedy happened I wonder Lord if it won't turn out that I know I did I found out within hours who it was [00:27:39] I'd known him since a little boy his parents were missionaries in Africa this is now he's grown up he's got this little boy and this terrible tragedy happened and now beloved as the great swell of all humanity's sin as the great swell of all humanity's sin It was so great that God was literally forced to forsake His Son, this book tells me, causing Him in His humanity, though God, He was human, causing Him in His humanity to cry out words that are beyond my comprehension. [00:28:31] My God, why hast thou forsaken me? He so forsook him, because it was so great, this swell of all humanity's sin rising up against Christ in terrifying judgment. God forsook him. He was forced to forsake him utterly. Why hast thou forsaken me is a staggering statement coming from God the Son. [00:29:11] Why this holy book, this holy book gives the answer, beloved. He gave his only begotten Son, John 3.16, that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. That he, by the grace of God, should taste death. Do you know what the Greek is? Should face death for every man in the place. [00:29:48] That he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2 verse 9. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53 verse 6 The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. For God's word says that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. [00:30:26] That he might be just, justifying you. That he might be just in forgiving you. That he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Christ. Romans 3 verse 26 God's holy word says he was made to be sin for us That's beyond my comprehension I've been through this book many, many, many, many times Weeping over most of its pages in my pursuit of God's heart [00:30:58] But that is beyond my comprehension as a preacher Let alone being able to preach some doctrinal statement He was made to be sin for us. I can't comprehend how God could have done that. He was made to be as if it was His sin. [00:31:34] As if He was to face the judgment Himself taking good on Him. God judged him he was made to be sin for us who knew no sin who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him that we might be made righteous [00:32:04] in God's eyes that we might be made the righteousness of God in him not having mine own righteousness the book says which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousness God declares you righteous [00:32:39] though you did nothing he paid it all being justified freely by grace through faith in his blood God says the blood of Jesus Christ God's son cleanseth us from all sin In one moment by faith You are washed, you are cleansed That God promises you the blood of Jesus Christ [00:33:13] The moment you come with nothing in your hands but the blood of Jesus Christ God says he will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus Do you know what Wesley said? Actually Luther said, during the others But Wesley took hold of this in the light of all scriptures and said The literal meaning, if one has to be honest, is God is saying he will in no wise, is God cannot God cannot turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus [00:33:53] Is that sacrilege? No, it's sacrilege to say he can If Christ paid such a penalty to say God can still turn you away if you come with His blood His sacrilege is blasphemy to say His death was not sufficient No, no beloved He is the propitiation for our sins That's a staggering statement to Christians in 1 John 2 [00:34:25] Verse 2, he is the propitiation, that comes from Leviticus 16 Where the high priest only once a year, one man was allowed to come into the holiest of holies in the tabernacle A picture of course of what is literally in heaven Where our high priest ever liveth to make intercession for us And this high priest, starting with Aaron, was told by God to enter with the blood of a dead animal, slaughtered The blood of a lamb, and that blood was to be sprinkled on the mercy seat in the holiest of holies [00:35:02] Where God the Father in heaven sits and his son stands beside him presenting his blood His blood to those who come for forgiveness You see, the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat and mercy was found because of the blood only that all the people standing outside every single one of the entire nation would come once a year and that blood would be sprinkled taken in a slaughtered animal [00:35:32] who we know without the shedding of blood there's no remission of sins and Hebrews tells us of course the blood of goats and the bills of lambs and all these animals was not what God was looking at every single thing in the Old Testament every single sacrifice was some Aspects, some facet of what God required of Christ's death to be able to justify all men everywhere That he's unable from that moment to turn away He cannot, he will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus [00:36:07] Oh the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleansed us from all sin by grace through faith He is the propitiation What happened there in Levesicus 16 happens every moment of every day to every single soul that seeks God for cleansing. There, His blood is presented, what He did on the cross, nothing else. He is the propitiation, the way to God for mercy, the only way. Because of His death, His blood, the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, [00:36:43] John says to Christians, but also for the sins of the whole world. And I believe that. He tasted death for every man. I believe that. God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. I don't believe he commands men who can't, who have no rights. I believe it's a personal free will because all men everywhere don't repent, don't turn to Christ. But God cries to all men. Why? Because God tells us He is the propitiation, the way to God for mercy through His blood [00:37:20] Not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Timothy 2, 4, Who will have all men to be saved? I believe that! Heaven help the poor man that doesn't! Who will have all men to be saved And to come unto the knowledge of the truth What a Saviour [00:37:50] Who gave Himself a ransom for all Hallelujah, verse 6 And all the other verses that God cries out to all the world Through what Christ did Promising them he will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus Who his own self bear our sins in his body on the tree Who his own self bear our sins in his body on the tree [00:38:24] Now there's no condemnation to them which is in Christ Jesus No matter who you are he will in no wise turn you away from that moment, righteousness, righteousness imputed by grace through faith, being justified freely by grace through faith in his blood. For by grace are ye saved through faith, not of works, lest any man boast. It is the gift of God, the wages of sin is death, not of physical death, an eternal separation [00:38:56] called the second death in the light of all scriptures, which is eternal damnation and The wages of sin, the just reward of an unrepented life who will not come, though God cries out that He won't turn away to all men everywhere to come Oh, the wages of sin, of turning away from this wonderful gift of God is eternal damnation, is death But the gift of God, the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord This eternal life, this gift of eternal life cannot be worked for [00:39:29] Therefore, the day you come with anything but the blood of Jesus, you may as well be coming with some obnoxious obscenity, or your righteousness is as filth, God says. You come with your righteousness, you leave going to hell, even if you're a preacher, coming to God eventually, with some declaration of why, oh I thank thee I'm not as other men are. He's awesome, he's unjust, adulterous, or even he's a publican [00:40:03] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all, for you come with all these things The other man, the publican, by the way, why is he a publican? That was really a sinner Defiled that he could be that Standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven But smote upon his breast, crying, God be merciful to me, a sinner I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other You come as a sinner with nothing Don't come as this religious man born in religious, dressed religiously [00:40:38] Oh, you wouldn't touch his clothing But he went to hell You wouldn't find him in a place that isn't separated from worldliness You wouldn't find him daring He was born deeply conservative Judaism The ordained religion of Christ, of God on earth And he was involved to the hilt But he went to hell. I tell you, the man who comes with nothing, he knows he's a sinner. Don't try and justify all your righteousness as filth. Do you know what more can God say to look and contempt at a man who comes and tries to say I'm not as bad as another man. [00:41:10] I haven't been like this. I'm not like this man who needs to be crying for mercy. No, I was born in this. I tithe, I fast, I'm separated from the world. I go to every, I have chief seats because I always attend every meeting there is. Religion can't save you. Religion will damn you for eternity if you think that will save you You come at some point in your life Whether you're a priest, whether you're a bishop And if you have never, you have never ever been accepted by God All your religion, all your righteousness, all your self-righteousness [00:41:42] That justifies you in your own eye If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves The truth is not in us If we confess there has to be one and mighty encounter with God, coming as a sinner, with nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ. Oh, sins His faithful and just to forgive us, to cleanse us with what? The blood of Jesus Christ, beloved. The blood of Jesus Christ alone cleanses us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him alive. You see, God has said all have sinned. There's none righteous, no, not one. Oh, we, like sheep, have gone astray. [00:42:15] We've turned everyone to his own way. The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Oh, listen carefully, beloved. It's not just the whoremonger, or the devilish Satan worshipper, or the murderer In the same sentence, and all liars We look at one big sin and we say the other is a small sin God looks at sin and says it's evil You will go, if you just lied, if that's the worst sin you've ever committed That you can honestly think of You will go to the same judgement as an adulterer, a whoremonger, a murderer Because it's sin, and you are born in sin [00:42:46] You have a sinful nature, and there is sin in every one of us If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. Because he said all have sinned. He tasted death for every man. There's no man on earth that dares to come to God obnoxiously with anything of his own righteousness that you trust in for God to accept you that you won't be damned for eternity with murderers and whoremongers. You come with nothing but the blood of Jesus. [00:43:17] And until then, God cannot even look at you He'll turn his face away from you and shame at what you come with Of yourself and your own justification Your own ideas of what self-righteousness And that you won't be damned because of it You are damned You are damned mainly for rejecting Christ's gift only It's no longer a gift the day you try and put anything else to work for your salvation Nothing in my hands I bring Simply to the cross I cling [00:43:50] And until you come to God like that You will go to hell And God will reject you Your religion Your pure life Your keeping yourself from filth Will send you to hell If you think that's all God required And that Christ didn't have to die for you For others, yes Oh no, you come with nothing but the blood of Jesus. When did you do that? [00:44:21] When did you come knowing that you are in God's eyes as evil? As an evil, evil man. According to the same judgment, he's having no more judgment than you are. Your sin makes you evil. But especially the sin of rejecting Christ only, coming with anything but the blood of Jesus is an obnoxious evil. Religion can become something, Oh, thank God for the protection. We don't want you to go out there and get defiled. You can thank God for eternity. For your mother's and father's protection. But I beg you to understand that religion cannot do anything but damn you if you haven't come to God as an individual, whether you're a boy, a girl, or a priest, with nothing but the blood of Jesus in such a way that God cannot turn his face away. You're so earnest, and you so put your faith in nothing, nothing, nothing, God. [00:45:08] Do I come with my grace to be saved? Nothing I've done or haven't done that others have done that I haven't done I come to thee with the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son For nothing else will cleanse me and save my soul And when you come with nothing in your faith Nothing to bring God, to obtain the gift of eternal life Nothing that you've done, just the blood of Christ That He did God promises He'll save you For eternity God, He cannot turn you away when you come with the blood of Christ only [00:45:46] To be forgiven, to be forgiven Many great injustices, many great injustices have happened when it comes to judgment being proclaimed on serious offenders. Many great injustices have happened through the centuries when it comes to the judgment that has been proclaimed on murderers, [00:46:18] men who faced the death penalty, being hung, the electric chair. Many great injustices have happened to these people who have been hung who have been electrocuted, men who faced the death penalty. But then, after their death and sentence, further evidence came to light [00:46:49] that had not been there when the sentence was passed, that proved that they were not guilty, they were not the one who did the crime, though they died. This has happened hundreds of times in nation upon nation where they found afterwards the judgment that was given in integrity was proven to be wrong. That is a great injustice. It was found that they were judged for something they had never done. [00:47:21] they lost their lives, their one opportunity in eternity to live as a father with the woman he loves to raise his children and they didn't do the crime, they were put to death and this came to light and was proven the injustice of such a penalty upon men when it was found oh what horror it must be for a man to be treated as a murderer To face death even in his family to know that he's dying for this And he knew he didn't do these sins [00:47:55] He didn't do these crimes But listen carefully, listen carefully friend I know of a man who was judged for many things he didn't do He was punished, he suffered the judgment of other people's crimes He faced the death penalty for murders he had never committed committed for rapes he had never performed, for thefts he had never committed, lies he had never told, for great evils I cannot even want my mind to suggest men do that would define all of you, let alone me, in thinking he paid, he was punished, he suffered. [00:48:46] The judgment of other people's sins and crimes He died, the Bible says, the just for the unjust He was totally just, not guilty, no sin God judged His Son God pronounced Him guilty If He was to be the Savior God judged His Son and made Him to become sin for us who knew no sin [00:49:19] that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him God judged His Son for you and if you don't know that you cannot be saved apart from His death you would go to hell no matter who you are on earth God judged His Son and took upon Him placed upon him the eternal sufferings and damnation. Listen carefully. Men have died worse physical deaths than Jesus. [00:49:52] Men have been literally ripped limb after limb, ripped while they're living. But don't doubt this. No one knew the horror, the torment, the sufferings Christ went through. I cannot comprehend, you cannot, but God didn't just let him die a normal death that isn't as bad as others. God let him suffer what you would have suffered for all eternity in hell and me and every single soul. [00:50:28] Somehow and beyond human comprehension only God could have done that. God, the human form of God who took upon him as a human, he went through something no human mind can comprehend. but it was totally the payment that God required that God cannot turn away anyone because eternal damnation of every soul He suffered. I don't know how to put that into any meaningful words but I believe it. I believe God knew how to do that [00:51:00] and what it required of Christ is beyond our comprehension but He did. God judged His Son for you and me but you must accept that gift of eternal life. You cannot work for it. Believing on it doesn't mean you're saved. You have to accept it. There has to be a moment you come to God and take the gift of eternal life and God saves you. God saves you. God judged his son for you but you must accept that gift of eternal life by faith [00:51:36] For by grace are ye saved through faith When did you accept that gift in a way that God saved you? That you knew you've passed from death unto life We know, if you don't know, you've never been saved When did you take that gift? That the Holy Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are Do you think God torments you once you're saved? No, if you don't know, you are not saved He that believeth on the Son of God [00:52:07] hath the witness in himself This is speaking about Romans 8 The Spirit, capital S, also itself beareth witness with all spirits that we are the children of God We know Don't tell me God torments you that you hope and doubt till you die when you're saved No! He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son [00:52:40] He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life These things have I written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God That ye may know that ye have eternal life Do you know? If you don't know, you don't have it Oh, God mocks us, saying his Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we know we've passed from death unto life. Oh, is John mocking us saying we can know? But when did you come and accept that gift by grace through faith that the Holy Spirit [00:53:12] was compelled, obliged, and a holy obligation or lie to what He would do when you're truly saved that you know when you stand up from your knees you know Oh, you have eternal life. There's no condemnation to them which is in Christ Jesus. And you know it, or you haven't received it. Oh, God mocks us, saying the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits that we have eternal life, that we are the children of God. [00:53:44] When did you come and accept that gift of Christ's death, Christ's blood, by faith and receive eternal life that you know you've passed from death unto life? In 1830, in 1830 in the United States of America, a man named George Wilson was sentenced to be hung for robbery and murder. [00:54:16] In 1830 in the United States of America, a man named George Wilson was sentenced to be hung for robbery and murder. But then Andrew Jackson, the president of America at that time Andrew Jackson granted him a pardon A presidential pardon Now that happens in most nations of the world In my country, in my lifetime, many have been given a presidential pardon It overrules the highest court of the land [00:54:47] Whatever the judge said is just overruled If a president who has this right, no other person has it If he looks at the circumstances of a man's background and realizes he had no hope in life, there's a presidential pardon when many things are considered altogether to give this man a pardon from facing the death penalty. In 1830, George Wilson was sentenced to be hung for murder, but Andrew Jackson, the President of America, granted him a pardon. [00:55:18] But he shook the entire nation and much of the world. When he refused to accept that pardon, he insisted that unless he accepts it, he cannot be pardoned, no matter who offers it. The Attorney General eventually said, the law is silent on this matter, they had nothing to refer to, to know what to do in past law. Sweet. The Attorney General essentially said the law is silent on this matter [00:55:53] and he referred the whole thing to the Supreme Court of America. Chief Justice Marshall, the highest judge in the land, gave the following decision. A pardon is only a piece of paper. The value of which depends fully on its acceptance by the person implicated. I want to re-read that, sorry. Pardon. It's only a piece of paper, sir. [00:56:25] Child. It's only a piece of paper. Don't doubt that. The value of which depends fully on its acceptance by the person implicated. It is hardly to be supposed that one under sentence of death would refuse to accept such an offer Justice Marshall said It is hardly to be supposed that one on descendants of death would refuse to accept such an offer [00:56:56] But if it is refused, it is no longer a pardon of any value George Wilson must therefore be hung and face death For the crimes he has committed, justice demands it Even though he was offered complete forgiveness, complete pardon He rejected it and therefore will face the full judgment of the law for what he has done. [00:57:32] Why was my Saviour on Calvary's tree laid? Why, tell me, why was he there? Jesus, the debt of my sin, fully paid [00:58:03] Why, tell me, why, tell me, why All my afflictions upon him were laid, he nailed it all to the tree. Jesus, the debt of my sin, fully paid, he paid the ransom for me. [00:58:42] A pardon, no matter who offered it, is only a piece of paper. Its value which depends fully on its acceptance by the person implicated. But if it is rejected, how do you reject it? By going to church every day when church gathers. by going to every bible study [00:59:14] by dressing that you will be accepted by that church for everything they require to accept that you really are godly how do you reject that pardon by embracing religion and your denomination and your culture and your priests beliefs yes you reject that pardon if you don't come with nothing but the blood of Jesus no matter where you are born no matter how you are raised A pardon held out to you by God doesn't have to be rejected if you go out there as a whoremonger or an adulterer. [01:00:05] You just go on in religion. But you never know when you came with nothing but the blood of Jesus in a way that the Holy Spirit bore witness with your spirit from that moment that you were born again of God and became God's child. You reject, sir, that pardon if you don't come at some point of your life in such desperation that God cannot turn you away the way you come with your faith in the death of Christ for forgiveness. [01:00:35] He will save your soul and the world will know it and you will know it. To ask you all something that's going to stagger you. If you're a priest, if you're a bishop, if you're an elder, if you're a child from a priest or a bishop or an elder's home, I don't mind. If you've come since you were born to every single service and sat through [01:01:05] till you were able to understand and listen to everything said I want to ask every single one of you, no matter who you are that has never truly been saved in a way that you know God saved your soul that you know you have no judgment, you have no fear of death and you know when you came and took that gift which you didn't work for, you just had to accept by faith in a way that God couldn't turn you away his way [01:01:36] with the blood of Jesus and he gives the gift of eternal life and the Holy Spirit but when that happens you're saved I want every one of you, no matter who you are, that that never has happened You don't know when God witnessed with you Totally saved, righteous, with nothing you did But because of what Jesus did [01:02:06] I want every one of you that need to come with nothing but the blood of Jesus Even if it's the first time in your life Not believing he died for you, but coming to God to take the gift by faith by bringing his blood in your heart and your intellect to God nothing else in my hands I bring simply to the cross I cling today God [01:02:37] I want those of you that need to do something that God cannot turn you away the Bible says to those who come He will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to Him this way with Christ's blood, through Jesus Christ, His death I want those of you sitting here tonight, no matter who you are to not take a chance at eternity Don't you think God will just keep on calling out and explaining things to you? Your decision sometimes God seals [01:03:10] even if you stay religious till you die Be careful, don't play the fool with God the Holy Ghost I want those of you that need desperately to stand up and say God, here I am and I come to thee tonight to be saved and to seek thee to witness with my spirit that I know I come to thee tonight with nothing, nothing, nothing not my religion, not my goodness, not the way I dress but the blood of Jesus to be saved for eternity by faith [01:03:41] Those of you that desperately need that and God requires it but you tonight don't take a chance and don't play the fool with God tonight if he's speaking to you. I want those of you that desperately need to see God in this way and you know it. I want those of you who do need to do this to stand please. That's not easy is it? That head bowed and sneaking up your hands so nobody embarrases you. No, if you can't stand up for Christ now, you never will. [01:04:13] You can't even come to him to be saved without everybody bowing their heads so nobody sees. Those of you that would say, here's my life, God, because such a sacrifice obviously demands that from the moment you are saved, written across your life is that you're paid, you're bought with a great price. You're not your own. You're the property of Jesus and everyone on earth and Satan will know it from that moment on I want those of you who need to seek God right now no matter who you are and those that stand we will pray with ladies will pray with ladies men will pray with men and boys with men and boys but men who can pray with you they won't preach to you they'll just pray what you've heard about and what you need to come to God with and we leave the rest to the Holy Spirit if you come those of you that need to be saved by the [01:05:06] and give your life to Christ forever tonight. Anyone? Yes. Don't look at people, but if anyone stands, remain standing. Yes. Yes, we just wait a moment. The valley of decision. But this might be your last chance to make a decision [01:05:37] Don't play the fool with God I cried out to a boy Don't take a chance with eternity And a few minutes later his whole body was chopped in half You think you've got forever and nothing can go wrong This might be God's last call Yes, I see those standing And God sees And he will in no wise turn away Once more I ask, and that's your choice, and maybe for eternity your choice when you have it, is this choice tonight. [01:06:10] Once more, will you stand and seek God tonight, please, if you need to?